Rose: A Promise Kept
by Tipperose
Summary: Now that Rose has survived the sinking of the Titanic, she must find a way to go on without her mother or Cal ever knowing she's alive. With only her promise to Jack to guide her, Rose sets out to find herself in a world she's only ever dreamed of.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello and welcome to my story. I have decided to take this off as it was before and start all over again and try to revamp it in a different direction. That is one reason I lost interest in it because I didn't like where I was going with it or where I had gone with it. There are some chapters that won't change and some that will. At any rate, I don't know who will read it or ignore it, but for whomever is here reading it, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for giving it a chance.**

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**Rose: A Promise Kept**

**Chapter One**

_April 18, 1912_

The shimmering lights of the New York harbor shone like a beacon in the distance. Rose DeWitt-Bukater walked over to the railing of the Carpathia and lifted her hands onto the wet, cold steel. It was raining which seemed so fitting. It was as if heaven itself was crying and mourning the loss of the _Titanic_ and the fifteen hundred souls that perished with her.

She glanced around at the many faces surrounding her. They were all of them sad, desolate, and grief-stricken. No one spoke. What was there to say? Fate had dealt them a cruel hand and now they had to take the shattered pieces of their lives and try to go on.

But go on to what? Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing. As she stood there feeling the hopelessness of her life, she remembered Jack's last words to her.

_"You must promise me that you'll survive. That you won't give up, no matter what happens. No matter how hopeless. Promise me now, Rose, and never let go of that promise."_

_"I promise."_

_"Never let go."_

_"I will never let go, Jack. I'll never let go."_

She closed her eyes against the memory of it. It wasn't fair. Why was he taken from her? Why? She had only just found him and now he was gone. This was supposed to be their time together, their start of a new life. Now it was over before it had even begun.

"Jack," she whispered, "I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I can go on without you."

"We're docking now, Miss," a voice said suddenly behind her.

Rose turned and saw a young steward standing beside her holding a umbrella. He was smiling gently, almost sympathetically toward her. "Do you have family waiting for you?"

"Family?" she repeated. Her thoughts immediately turned to her mother. If she were seek her mother out, would things be different? Would she still try to force to her to marry Cal? In the deepest part of her heart, she wanted to go to her mother, to seek comfort from her but she knew that was impossible. As much as Rose might want things to change, they would not and in the end she would be trapped just as before and that was something she could not let happen. "No," she shook her head firmly, "I have no family waiting for me. I'm alone."

He nodded slightly, as if not totally convinced of her declaration. But he moved on leaving Rose at the railing.

The Carpathia slowly came into the harbor, gliding by the Statue of Liberty. Rose was drawn to the statue standing tall and proud. She represented freedom and liberty to the many people who had come here for a new life.

Freedom… the word rang clear and true to her. Freedom to do as she wanted, freedom to break away from the constricting life she had lived thus far, freedom to do all of the things she had only dreamed of doing. Jack had given her that gift.

Immediately, she saw his smiling face in her mind's eye. She could see his scruffy blond hair and his clear blue eyes. Had it only been days ago that she was with him, holding him, laughing with him, and loving him? If only she could see him once more, talk to him once more, if only…

While those thoughts were running through her head, an officer came up to her with an umbrella and a clipboard. He stopped in front of her and held the clipboard up.

"Can I take your name please, love?"

Rose turned toward him. For a split second, she almost answered DeWitt-Bukater, but it lodged in her throat. In a clear and firm voice that held no hesitation, she answered, "Dawson." She looked back toward the statue and answered again. "Rose Dawson."

And with that, Rose DeWitt-Bukater -socialite, debutante, and poor little rich girl- was gone. She was no longer that person and she knew that she would never return to that life again. As far as anyone was concerned, she had died on the Titanic with the other victims. She was free. Thanks to Jack, she was now free.

"Thank you," the steward said as he moved on to the next person so unaware of what had just occurred. There was no way he could know that Rose had just opened the door to her new life. She stood transfixed while the rain continued to fall on her. As she pushed her hands deeper into the pockets of the heavy coat, her fingers brushed against something cold and hard. Feeling around, she clutched it and lifted it out.

The Heart of the Ocean glittered in her hand. Realization dawned on her that she had on Cal's overcoat and apparently he had put the diamond in it before putting it on her.

She couldn't help but wonder if it had been she or it he sought when he came to the steerage area the day before. Regardless of which it was, seeing him wandering among the survivors sent ripples of anger through her. How dare he still be alive when so many men who were more deserving than he were dead? It made no sense and it went against everything she had ever believed to be true.

As she stared down at the necklace, she thought how cruel it seemed fate was. It took Jack from her but left her with something that represented all she hated about her life up to that point. With a heavy sigh, she placed the necklace back in the coat pocket letting the heaviness of it slip from her fingers.

Finally, the ship docked and they were allowed to disembark by order of class. First class passengers were let off first, second class came next and lastly, steerage. Throngs of people crowded the docks to catch a glimpse of the survivors and the lifeboats that hung like ghostly figures on the side of the ship.

The press was everywhere, grabbing people as they came off hoping to get a statement or a word of what happened. Of course, their first questions revolved around whether the wealthiest passengers had somehow survived. Already, some of the survivors were telling their account of what had happened and some were in still in shock, having to be led around.

Chaos reigned supreme on the dock and after Rose had gotten off with the rest of the steerage passengers, she stayed away from the crowd as much as possible. There were so many people around it wasn't hard to get lost among them. She didn't know what she was going to do or where she was going to go, but she knew she had to get away from there as quickly as she could before anyone recognized her.

As she made her way through the throng, she looked up and stopped, her heart frozen in her chest. It was her mother and Cal. They were walking toward a silver Cadillac, the door held open by the driver. Nathan Hockley peered out as the driver held an umbrella over his head. She stepped back in the shadows to remain hidden from them, but was close enough to hear what was said.

Mr. Hockley stepped out and reached for Ruth's hands. "Ruth, I'm so sorry for your loss. I know this a shock to us all, but most of all to you, my dear."

Ruth only nodded slightly. He bent and kissed her cheek and then helped her climb inside the automobile. He then turned to Cal and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, son. I don't know what to say. Your mother and I are truly astounded by everything that has transpired. We shall certainly see to it that a prompt investigation is made into the cause of this disaster."

"Thank you, Father." Cal shook his head but made no move towards him.

"The White Star Line will answer for this, you mark my words." Mr. Hockley continued with his declarations.

"Father," Cal rubbed his face, as if considering what he would say. "Everything was lost. _Everything_," he emphasized on the last word. "Le Coeur de la Mer. There was nothing I could do."

Mr. Hockley nodded his understanding. "Nothing to worry about, son. I insured it the day you departed. I am not a foolish man. I always take precautions against such things."

"Yes, Father," Cal took a deep breath and released it. "I knew you would take care of it. You always do."

Nathan patted him on the shoulder again and then urged him get into the automobile. He got in behind his son.

Rose watched all of this with disdain as they drove off into the darkness. She felt nothing. No regret, no sorrow, and certainly no remorse for allowing them to believe her dead. Lifting her head, she turned and went the other direction towards the city, walking further and further away from the crowded dock. And she never once looked back.

As she walked along the dark streets trying to decide what to do, Rose realized that she really had no idea where to even begin. She had the necklace, but that would hardly do her much good at present. She needed money and a place to stay until she could figure out where to go from there.

Ducking into the alcove of a building, she decided to do a search of Cal's coat. If she knew Caledon Hockley like she thought she did, he would have put more than the necklace in there. Even in the face of disaster, Cal's thoughts would have been of his precious possessions and his money and how to get them off the sinking ship.

In two inside pockets of the coat, she found what she had been looking for. She pulled out several stacks of bills and held them up to do a cursory check of the amount. It was more than enough to start her out so that she would not be completely destitute. She felt no guilt in keeping the necklace or the money because as far as she was concerned they were payment for the hell she had lived through.

Rose hitched the coat tightly around herself and set out to find a room and something to eat. She was exhausted, physically and mentally, and only wanted to get out of the wet clothes she had on and into a warm bed. She went down a few more blocks, making several turns before coming into a more residential part of the city.

Rows and rows of houses lined the streets on either side. As she made her way down the sidewalk, she finally came upon a two-story clapboard house with a sign out front indicating it was a boarding house. Coming up the walk, she stepped up on the porch and knocked on the door. Before long, an older, dark-haired woman pulled back the curtain from the window set in the door and looked out at her.

"Can I help you?" she asked through the door.

"I need a room, if you have one."

The woman frowned as she looked her over. Rose knew she must look wretched standing there in her torn, dirty silk dress, along with Cal's too big overcoat. She pushed her wet and listless copper hair back from her pale face. "Please," she pleaded to the woman. "I need someplace to stay. I was on the Titanic and I have nowhere else to go."

The woman's eyes grew large and her mouth fell open when she heard what Rose said. Quickly, she opened the door and ushered her in. "Oh, my goodness, child. You were on the Titanic?"

"Yes," Rose answered quietly.

"Oh, my goodness," she repeated, shaking her head. "Such a terrible tragedy. All those poor people."

"Do you have a room?" Rose asked again, not wanting to be rude, but desperately wanting to go lie down and be alone.

"Yes, I do happen to have one. Right this way, child," the woman said to her as she led her upstairs. "It's been all over the papers. But, I hear that Mrs. Astor made it."

Rose bit her lip. She didn't want to talk about it. She wasn't ready. She didn't know if she would ever be ready.

"I'm sorry, child," the woman said as they came to the top of the stairs and she saw the look on Rose's face. "I shouldn't be running on so."

Rose nodded slightly. She understood the woman's curiosity. It was only natural.

"Your room is right here." The woman pointed to a door.

"Thank you."

"My name is Abigail Calvert if you need anything."

"Rose Dawson," Rose told her. "And thank you for renting me this room. I'm very grateful."

Abigail smiled at her. "Generally, I don't rent to folks I don't know, but seein' as how you survived such a tragedy, I feel it my Christian duty to help you."

She opened the door for Rose and walked her in. She turned on the light and then pulled down the shade.

"I don't expect you have anything to change into?"

"No. This is all I have left." Rose clutched the coat closer around her.

"I'll get you a dry gown and something warm to drink."

Abigail left the room, leaving Rose alone for a moment to gather her thoughts. She sat down on the bed and looked around the room. It was by no means luxurious, but it was dry and warm. Next to the bed was a bedside table and there was also a wardrobe and a chest with a mirror over it. The pillow next to her looked so inviting she couldn't help but lay down on it. She would just stay this way until Abigail came back with a gown. That was the last thing she remembered thinking before closing her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Rose: A Promise Kept**

**Chapter Two**

_"This is it!"_

_"Oh, God! Oh, God!"_

_"Hold on!"_

_"Oh, God!"_

_"The ship is gonna suck us down! Take a deep breath when I say! Kick for the surface and keep kicking! Do not let go of my hand!"_

_The water was getting closer! It was rushing up at them faster and faster._

_"We're gonna make it, Rose. Trust me!"_

_"I trust you!"_

_"Ready! Ready! Now!"_

"Jack!" Rose sat up and gasped for air, her breath coming fast and hard. Wildly, she looked around the small room, sweat clinging to her body. For a moment, she was confused and didn't know where she was until she remembered that she was at the boarding house she had come upon the night before.

She sat for a moment trying to calm herself but was having little success. Her heart was pounding so loudly she could hear it in her ears. At that moment, as she sat in that small room looking at the unfamiliar surroundings, she had never felt so alone or so lost in her entire life. She wanted to be strong, she wanted to be brave, but she felt none of that. Covering her mouth, she let out a small cry and began to weep.

"Why, Jack, why?" she sobbed quietly. "Why did you leave me?"

For a few moments, Rose let herself give in to her sorrow and cried for all that she had lost. Her heart ached at the thought of never seeing Jack again. She felt empty and hollow, as if nothing of substance was left inside of her. Nothing felt right and nothing mattered.

Finally, after a while she realized she had to pull herself together. She couldn't let this go on. Getting upset wasn't going to help anything and it wasn't going to bring Jack back.

After a few calming breaths, she glanced down and saw that her dress and Cal's coat were gone and in their place was a white cotton nightgown. And she was no longer on the bed, but in it. How did that happen? The last thing she remembered was lying down while waiting for Abigail to come back. It must have been her. She must have changed her and put her in bed.

Then she remembered the coat and what was in it. She slid out of the bed and walked over to the wardrobe. The coat was there, along with her dress. After checking the pockets, she found the necklace and the money still there. With relief, she went back to the bed and sat down.

Suddenly, there was a light tap at the door. "Miss Dawson, are you all right?" Abigail asked in a muffled voice.

Rose quickly wiped the remaining tears away. She couldn't let Abigail see she had been crying. She had been taught never to cry in anyone's presence. Sliding from the bed once again, she walked over to the door, took a deep breath and opened it looking out at the older woman. "I'm sorry if I woke you," she said tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Oh, no, you didn't wake me. I was already awake," Abigail replied with an understanding smile. "I thought I heard something and I just wanted to check on you."

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine."

Abigail smiled at her, a look of sympathy coming across her face. "God bless you, child. You've gone through a horrible ordeal and it's no shame to be crying over it. I'm guessing you've suffered a loss through all of this. Someone you loved very much."

Rose felt her throat constrict. She nodded slightly to confirm the woman's statement. She sensed Abigail's sincerity and was amazed that this woman, this total stranger, was showing more care and concern for her than her own mother ever had.

"I'm sure he must have loved you, too. Was he your husband?"

Rose just stared at her. No, technically Jack was not her husband, but she had taken his name nonetheless. If he had survived she had no doubt he would have been. She felt like his widow just as much a widow as the many women she was with in steerage on the Carpathia who had lost their men.

"Yes, he was my husband," she answered with pride.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Dawson. Such a young girl you are, too."

"Thank you, Mrs. Calvert--"

"Not Mrs., Miss, and you can call me Abigail. I've never been married myself. I live here with my nephew, Andrew."

"Thank you, Abigail. If you don't mind, I'm going to lie back down for a while."

"Oh, yes, you do that. I have to get breakfast going for my other boarders. You can come down when you're ready, or you can stay up here if you'd like and I'll bring you something."

"That's very kind of you, but I don't want you to go out of your way just for me."

"Oh, it's no problem, child, none at all." Abigail smiled at her again and then headed for the staircase.

Shutting the door, Rose went back over to the bed. Pulling the covers over herself, she stared out of the small window and up into the dusky sky. It would soon be light outside and the start of a new day and new life for her. The only problem was, she had no idea where to even begin.

****

When Rose awoke the next time, it was to the smell of bacon frying. Her stomach grumbled in protest at being allowed to smell it but not taste it. She pushed herself into a sitting position and noticed a dress lying at the foot of her bed.

Sliding out of the bed, she took it and held it up. It was light blue with a white collar, white cuffs and white buttons running down the length of it. There was nothing fancy about it, but it was something to wear and it looked to be her size. It must have been Abigail again.

She saw that along with the dress there was a pair of boots, undergarments, and a brush and pins for her hair.

Rose smiled at the kindness that this woman was showing her. She had never been exposed to it this way before. She had never had the chance. Throughout her whole life, she had been sheltered from people like Abigail Calvert. She had never been allowed to associate with anyone outside of the social circle she had been trapped in.

But everything was different now and she was going to make sure to go out of her way to thank Abigail for the kindness she had shown to her.

After washing as best she could in the basin, she brushed and pulled her hair back capturing it with a ribbon Abigail had provided. She then put the dress on. It fit everywhere but the sleeves, which were a little too long. But she rolled the cuffs back once and that problem was taken care of.

She made her way downstairs and followed the aroma of the bacon. She came to a dining room where several men were sitting around the table, talking and laughing. As soon as she entered, everyone stopped and looked at her. Silence hung thick in the air, until finally one of the men stood and nodded slightly toward her.

"Hello. You must be Mrs. Dawson," he said with a polite smile.

"Yes, I am," she answered.

"Please, have a seat and join us," he came around the table, pulled out a chair for her and motioned for her sit down.

Rose took a calming breath and then walked over to sit in the chair the young man held out for her. After pushing it forward, he went back around to his own chair and sat down across from her.

"Mrs. Dawson, let me be the first to tell you how sorry I am for your loss. This must be a very difficult time for you. It is such a tragedy, what happened."

Rose clenched the napkin under the table. Perhaps it was a mistake coming downstairs after all. She lowered her eyes and cleared her throat.

"Thank you, Mr…" she trailed off and looked over at him.

"Calvert, Andrew Calvert," he replied.

At that time, Abigail came through the swinging door, holding a platter in one hand and a pitcher in the other. She stopped when she saw Rose sitting at the table. She blinked, smiled, and resumed her pace to the table.

"Mrs. Dawson, I'm glad to see you've joined us."

"Thank you and thank you for the dress and the other things as well. You're being very kind to me and I'm especially grateful for it."

"It's no problem. That's a dress of mine that I had outgrown, and you needed something to wear." She set the platter and the pitcher down on the table.

The platter held mounds of eggs on one side and bacon on the other. There were also biscuits, jars of jam, a crock of butter, and the pitcher of milk.

Rose looked over the food with hungry eyes. She had eaten practically nothing since the night Titanic had sunk. The days following on the Carpathia she had only existed, the shock of everything too much to bear. But now, her resolve to live and her promise to Jack to survive had taken over.

"Everything here looks wonderful, Miss Calvert."

"Abby," she corrected and then sat down at the table. "Before we say grace, I'd like to introduce you to everyone. This is Andrew Calvert, my nephew. He works at Macy's as a counting clerk, but he also helps me run the boarding house doing repairs and such."

Rose looked across the table at him. He smiled and nodded his head.

Abigail continued with the introductions, going around the table as she called each man by name. "This is Paul Redmond. He sells insurance. This is Ed Mallory. He's a brick layer, and this is James Harper. He's a night watchman."

Each of the men greeted her, but none said much beyond that. They ate the delicious food Abigail had prepared and Rose thought she had never tasted anything so good. For once, she didn't worry about nibbling her food for appearance's sake, but she ate heartily and enjoyed it.

After breakfast was over she offered to help Abigail clean up, but the older woman protested loudly and sent Rose back to her room to rest.

"Mrs. Dawson--"

"Please call me Rose, Abby. You've done so much for me that I think formalities can be put aside."

"That's a fine suggestion, Rose. Now, I want you to go rest. There's nothing for you do anyway."

Seeing that Abigail was leaving her no choice, she made her way back through the foyer and to the staircase. Directly across from it was the open doorway to the parlor and she could hear the men talking quietly as she approached it.

"The preliminary count is fifteen hundred. Can you imagine that? Fifteen hundred out of twenty-two hundred."

"I have never heard of anything like it."

"This was Captain Smith's last crossing, too. After this, he was going to retire."

"I hear they're starting an investigation into it today."

"I heard that, too. I wonder what they'll discover. Who was really at fault, man or nature?"

"And it was supposed to be unsinkable. How could things have gone so terribly wrong?"

Rose gripped the banister as images flooded her mind. She could hear the screams, the terrifying and seemingly endless screams of the dying in the water. She saw the horrified faces of the people around them as they had hung onto the back of the ship before it went under. She could see the hundreds of men, women, and children frozen to death, floating face down in the water as far as the eye could see.

And she saw Jack.

She saw him holding onto the side of ornately carved piece of wood that became her lifeboat. She remembered the pain and fear of realizing he was dead, that he had frozen to death before the boats could come back to save them. She could still feel the unbearable agony of releasing his hand and watching him sink beneath the freezing water to his grave.

She tried to make it up the steps, but her legs were so shaky she couldn't walk. The breakfast she had just eaten threatened to come back up as nausea gripped her.

"Rose?" She heard Abigail call her name from behind.

She turned just as Abigail reached her. "I'm sorry. I…" She gripped the railing again as her legs buckled from beneath her and she fell backwards into the astonished woman.

"Andrew!" Abigail shouted as she caught her.

All four men rushed out of the parlor and saw the young woman slumped over on Abigail.

"Help me get her in there," Abigail commanded her nephew. He came over and lifted Rose off of her feet, carried her limp form into the room and laid her down on the couch.

"What happened?" Andrew asked.

"I don't know." Abigail shook her head. "I came out of the kitchen and saw her standing by the staircase, almost in a trance. When I called her name, she just fainted dead away."

"Oh, God," Andrew breathed regrettably. "She must have heard us talking. We didn't know she was out there or we would have never mentioned it in her presence."

"Mentioned what?" Abigail questioned him.

"Titanic," he answered quietly. "We didn't know she was there."

Abigail took a deep breath, but shook her head at the same instant. "Don't blame yourself, Andrew. You had no way of knowing." She moved to the edge of the couch, lifted Rose's hand, and patted it as she spoke. "Rose, can you hear me?"

Rose stirred and slowly opened her eyes. When she realized where she was and that everyone was staring down at her, she tried to sit up. But her head began to swim, preventing her from accomplishing her goal.

"Don't try and get up yet," Abigail said calmly. "Just lie here for a moment longer."

"What happened?" she whispered, trying to focus on her surroundings.

"You fainted, child."

"Fainted?" she asked in a confused voice. For a moment, things were still fuzzy in her mind. Then she remembered hearing the conversation between the men as she was walking back to her room. All of the fear and horror of what happened had come back to her and had overwhelmed her. As the memories flooded her mind again, she covered her face and began to cry.

"Miss Rose, I'm so sorry for this. We never meant for you to hear us," Andrew apologized to her. "Please forgive us."

Abigail leaned over her. "Rose, would you like to go to your room?" she asked quietly.

"Yes," she barely managed to get out.

Abigail and Andrew helped her stand while the other men, embarrassed by the scene they were witnessing, stepped back and allowed them to pass.

Once they had put her in her room, Andrew stood back while Abigail helped her to lie down. Rose curled into a fetal position while Abigail pulled the shade down and then laid a quilt over her.

"Come, Andrew. We should leave her alone for now. Sleep is what she needs."

"Do you think she'll be all right?" he asked with concern.

"She will be… in time. She has to heal before she can move on. But it's only been a few days, and I'm sure everything is still too fresh," she said before ushering him out. She turned to shut the door and glanced back at Rose before doing so. "Poor girl, I can't imagine what she's been through."

"I feel sorry for her, Aunt Abby. She seems so lost."

Abigail nodded before answering. "All we can do is pray for her and give her time to heal. The good Lord will take care of the rest," she told him.

She stepped out of the room and quietly shut the door behind her, leaving Rose alone to grieve once more in the solitude of her broken heart.


	3. Chapter 3

**Rose: A Promise Kept**

**Chapter Three**

_May 14, 1912_

It had been a month.

Four weeks had gone by since the night the Titanic had sunk and Rose's life was forever changed.

Four weeks of grieving and feeling emptiness that didn't seem to ever end.

She missed Jack. It was that painfully simple.

She had three days with him. Three short days and yet, in those three days she had felt more alive and complete with him than at any other time in her seventeen years of life.

He had made her feel wanted and beautiful and not the in the way Cal did, like she was a possession he could own. He had made her feel like a woman, a real woman, not a dress-up doll with nothing inside.

With Jack she had become a woman. She was glad she had given herself to him. She would never regret it… never. Those stolen moments in the back of the Renault were the most precious moments of her life. She and Jack had come together not only in body, but in mind and soul, to be forever one with each other.

How could she ever regret that?

Rose glanced around and realized that she had been walking aimlessly, so lost in her thoughts that she forgot where she was going. A seagull screeched loudly overhead and she looked up to watch him glide across the blue sky as he headed toward the Atlantic.

The brash salt sea air blew around Rose's face, allowing her to taste it on her tongue. She stopped to face the waves as they came crashing in with abandon, only to be pulled back by some unknown force.

She lifted her skirts and sat down on the cool sand to watch the sun as it started its descent on the horizon. Vibrant colors splashed across the sky as far as the eye could see and the sight was a beautiful one.

She came here almost daily now. It was a ritual she looked forward to. Somehow she felt closer to Jack out here near the sea. She needed that right now. She was still confused about where her life was going and coming here was a small reprieve from thinking about it.

Physically, Rose was almost completely recovered from her ordeal. Emotionally was another story altogether. Some days were better than others, but for the most part she stayed to herself and didn't talk to anyone. She was still hurting and the emptiness she felt seemed endless.

As she sat there, she felt a soft breeze fan her hair forward across her face. Instantly, she was reminded of the first time she and Jack had met on the back of the ship. She had been so desperate then, desperate enough to end it all if need be. She had wanted to jump. It seemed the only way to escape her meaningless existence.

_"Don't do it," he had implored her. "C'mon. You don't want to do this. Just give me your hand and I'll pull you back over."_

_But she didn't want to hear what this scruffy-looking boy had to say. Who was he to tell her anything? He couldn't possibly know the disaster that was her life. She had to get out, no matter the cost. Then he told her something that changed everything._

_"I'm involved now. You let go, and I'm gonna have to jump in there after you."_

_"Don't be absurd," she had told him._

_"I'm a good swimmer," he answered back without hesitation._

_"The fall alone would kill you," she countered in amazement. Rose still couldn't believe it when he took off his coat and then his boots. This stranger, this handsome young man, was willing to risk his life to save hers._

How could they possibly have known what that one night would lead to? That in that moment when Jack talked her back over the rail, it would change the course of their lives never to be the same again?

He had done more for her than keeping her from jumping off the back of the ship. He had given her hope. He was right in that she didn't really want to die. She simply wanted to be free.

After sitting there a while, she decided to leave the beach. When she finally got back to the boarding house, it was time for dinner. But with the day being what it was and Jack so strong on her mind, the thought of food was unappealing. She slipped quietly unnoticed up the stairs to her room to be alone.

Not surprisingly, she dreamt of Jack that night. He was smiling at her, his clear blue eyes twinkling. It felt so wonderful there in the warmth of his love. She never wanted it to end…but it did. As she always did, she awoke to the fact that it was only a dream.

It was during these times that Rose had to face the sobering truth that she was alone. As she lay there, her thoughts turned to her mother. She had thought of contacting her, but each and every time she entertained the idea of it something prevented her from doing so.

She and her mother had never been close. To say that Ruth lacked a natural mothering instinct was an understatement. If anything, it was as if she saw Rose as competition. She felt it when her father was alive, but didn't know why. She was only a child and had no knowledge of such things.

Yes, she loved her father and he loved her in return. He doted on her and she him. Joseph Bukater was a good man even if he did have his faults. He liked to gamble a bit too much and he stayed gone too much of the time, but when he was home it brought the house alive.

Rose always the loved the times she and her father had alone. He would talk to her, really talk to her and he listened to her. He was always interested in what she was doing and when she complained about her mother, he would chastise her.

_"Don't criticize your mother, Rosie," he would say to her. "She can't help being what she is. Just be patient and understanding and above all, respect her."_

And Rose did try to respect her mother, but everything changed when her father died. Overnight, her mother went from being concerned with her charities, parties and social events to being concerned with Rose.

It was then that she began pushing Rose toward Caledon Hockley. At first, Rose was indifferent about him, but her mother kept pushing and pushing insisting that she attend every function with him.

Finally, when she couldn't take anymore of it, she confronted her mother, and that was when Ruth informed her of the financial straits Joseph had left them in. Everything was on the verge of collapse. They were in debt to the point of losing all they had. Their home, their possessions, everything. That was also when Ruth told Rose of her plan. If she married Caledon Hockley, he would be the salvation of the both of them.

_"What are you saying, Mother?"_

_"Mr. Hockley wants to marry you, Rose. He has already asked for your hand and I have given my blessing."_

_"But I don't want to marry him. I don't love him."_

_Ruth straightened herself and frowned down at her. "Love has nothing to do with this. We are on the verge of financial ruin. I have explained our situation to you."_

_"And I understand, but I don't want to marry Cal."_

_"Listen to me and listen well, for I will only say this once," Ruth said, grabbing her by the shoulders. "People of our station do not marry for love, they marry for security. They marry because it's beneficial for both parties involved. You and you alone can save us from a life of destitution. Caledon Hockley is rich beyond measure and he wants you. For once, put aside your selfishness and think of me."_

_"Selfishness?" Rose gasped. "You accuse me of selfishness when you are trying to force me to marry a man I don't love?"_

_"Your father spoiled you too much," Ruth accused bitterly. "You were always there, keeping his attention away from me. I was second in his life from the moment you were born. It was always about you."_

_"That's not true," Rose denied, hurt by her mother's accusation. "Father loved you, but I don't think you loved him. I don't think you ever cared about him."_

_"Don't be so dramatic, Rose. Of course I cared deeply for your father, but with his death, he left a tremendous amount of debt that I have no way of repaying. The money is gone and if you don't marry Mr. Hockley, we will be on the streets. Is that what you want?"_

_"No," Rose answered desperately. "There has to be another way."_

_"There is no other way," Ruth said firmly. "You will marry him, Rose. It has already been set in motion."_

From that moment on, Rose's life was no longer her own. She begrudgingly accepted Cal's marriage proposal and endured the strain of pretending to be happy.

As hard as she tried though, she couldn't keep her displeasure hidden for long. Every time her mother and Cal tightened their hold on her, the more she began to feel trapped and desperate. She was locked in a gilded cage by no fault of her own. She soon began to find ways to rebel against the unfair situation she found herself in.

She tried many times to get her mother to see how miserable she was by her little uprisings, but all it ever did was bring reproach and another reminder of the precarious financial situation they were in.

To make matters worse, Cal began treating her like something he was purchasing instead of the woman he was marrying. The irony of it was she felt as if he were purchasing her. Bought and paid for like another possession he owned.

The thought of it gave Rose a shiver of displeasure. That was when she determined in herself that she would never return to that life again. Whatever she had to do, she would do it.

In spite of her lost and lonely feelings at the moment, deep down inside she knew she had what it took to survive. Jack knew this and saw it in her even when she didn't see it in herself. Because of what he had done for her, she could and would go on.

She had promised him, after all.


End file.
